


We Have Nothing But Our Winter

by smallashes



Category: Captain America (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616, Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Oneshot, Red Room
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-17
Updated: 2014-07-17
Packaged: 2018-02-09 06:03:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1971681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallashes/pseuds/smallashes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lukin learns from Karpov about the value of the Winter Soldier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Have Nothing But Our Winter

“You rely too much on him, Vasily Gavrilovich. We have other men, and yet you continue to use him as our only asset. Do you think it is wise to do this?”

Karpov watched the soldier with the others, agents to be trained, soon to be as deadly as the soldier himself. Karpov simply shook his head, pleased with the work that was done on the Winter Soldier. “There is no need to worry, Aleksandr Sergeevich. Look at him, he’s one of us. The man doesn’t know any wiser.”

Lukin gritted his teeth together, nodding reluctantly in agreement. “Even with the technology we have, putting him in stasis – remember his instability? Questioning orders, hesitating on hits. The soldier isn’t as stable as you think he would be.”

“Then we wipe him,” Karpov replied. It wasn’t a matter of discussion for him. There were few other options that would require as little time and effort. “He’s useful for what he is, and he is our current greatest asset.”

“And the Red Guardian is not useful?” Lukin turned away from the glass, looking over his mentor’s aging face. “Why must we rely on a single man?”

“We are in a very different war, Aleksandr Sergeevich. A new world. There are no front lines to fight in, no borders to defend with soldiers and tanks. Our fire must be on a smaller level now, with precision and accuracy.” Karpov took one last glance at the Winter Soldier before turning back to his office. Seeing the man remain so young was a small blow to his mortality. “The Winter Soldier is that fire, a single bullet instead of an arsenal of guns. Alexi Shostakov was a failure and I regret to admit it.”

Lukin nodded. “I apologize for the comment, Vasily Gavrilovich. But to put all our faith in a single man…”

“It has worked to our advantage so far, Aleksandr. And it will continue to work so long as he remains loyal to us, to our cause.”

“I see. And if the Americans were to clue in…”

“We are no longer last in this superhuman race, keep that in mind. I once told Captain Rogers that we Russians only had our winter.” Karpov locked eyes with his protégé across from his desk, the young man still struggling with his future role. “We’ve taken our winter further, beyond what we had in the war. We stand a chance now.”

“What do you plan to do with him when you’re gone?”

“He, and the rest of my inheritance will be yours. Use him wisely, that is all I ask.”


End file.
